Dear Home Ec 101, I’m not always great about making sure my towels get dried the same day they are washed. This leads to them smelling like mildew. Will the smell go away? Can I do anything to make it go away? Or did I just ruin all my towels? Signed, Mildewed in Minneapolis Heather…

Dear Home-Ec 101, I love, love, love my sweaters! I anxiously await the autumn weather so I can wear them again. When I dry them in the dryer (even without heat) they get beat up and often the seam (especially where a turtle-neck is attached) will begin to unravel and fray. I have attempted hanging…

Heather says: Last night all four of my burners were full. There was gumbo and etouffee, collard greens and oil to fry beignets, but I forgot the plain rice. My stepfather commented something along the lines of just microwave it. I must have given him a funny look in between turning beignets. I figured what…

Heather says: Just yesterday, I was checking out some of my usual suspects on the blogging circuit when I stumbled upon a post at Musings of a Housewife. Jo-Lynne was lamenting only having bolar roasts left from her bulk beef purchase. I had never heard of a bolar roast so I did some internet sleuthing….

Heather says: If you have a recliner or Lazy-Boy style couch, there is a chance that it has two or three pieces bolted to a frame. If your kid catches a stomach virus or your pet has an accident, this can be incredibly helpful. Turn the couch so the back is resting on the floor and…

Heather says: Did you know the package directions for oatmeal (rolled oats) used to include directions for soaking? Eventually these directions were removed as it’s not critical if your goal is to have hot, edible cereal and many consumers are only interested in convenience. Soaked oats give an entirely different character to your morning breakfast…

Heather says: Remember last week’s Put Your Crap Away? It’s about as close to a magic pill as a person can find. If you work outside the home, it won’t be as intensive a process. Get ready to go a few minutes early. Then just before you leave, take a walk through the main living area….

Heather says: Builders and contractors don’t always use common sense when planning the layout of a home’s heating and cooling duct work. Sometimes the grille, or vent cover, is right in the middle of a wall. Even though I frequently run the soft brush attachment over the grille and occasionally spray it off with the…

Heather says: We learn these tricks the hard way so you don’t have to. When given a gift card* immediately put it in a safe place. Don’t assume you’ll get to use it in the near future. This way when the magical I-get-to-leave-the-house-and-enjoy-my-gift-card-in-peace day actually arrives, you don’t have to spend half the day looking…

Heather says: Below every sink is a shut off valve. A simple way to prevent water waste is to use this valve to turn down the flow. This is especially helpful for households with family members or roommates who cannot grasp the idea that there are more than two flow speeds for water: off and…

Heather says: If you have a wilting bunch of cilantro or parsley you can perk it back up by cutting 1/2″ off the stems and placing the bunch in a glass of water, just like a bouquet of flowers. Place the glass in the fridge and please, try not to knock it over. Alternately, you…

Heather says: Always keep several cans of evaporated milk in the pantry. It has an incredibly long shelf life and can prevent an “Oh crap, we’re out of milk” trip to the store. To use a substitute for fresh milk, dilute the evaporated milk with an equal amount of water. Evaporated milk can also be…

Ivy says: Everyone in my family- myself included- has a bad habit of leaving a bottle of body wash, shampoo, conditioner, etc, etc, etc. about a quarter full and moving on to the next bottle. This is entirely my fault because I constantly buy that stuff when I see it on sale, so we constantly…

Heather says: If you have fallen behind on laundry and have several loads to do, start with the one that requires the most obnoxious amount of folding. In my house that’s the light colored load, it’s crammed with toddler clothes and other piddly items that are annoying to fold. Finish off with towels which require…